How To: Plant in a Dump Truck

Not a BIG dump truck!  Just a Tonka one!  I got my dump truck at Trash and Treasures for under five dollars a few years ago.  It is an oldie and doesn't have near the paint on it as it once did, but it's a goodie and just precious with flowers and greenery trailing out of it's bed like it is ready to deliver the goods! 

Now, these toy dump trucks may sound simple to plant in, but if you have one or want one like this on,e you will notice that there are only three sides to the bed.  And the bed of the truck is where the plant goes.  So what is a dump truck driver to do?  I went to the woods and dug up two handfuls of moss.  You can find decent, usable moss growing in lots of areas like around a creek or in the woods and sometimes even around the base of a tree.  It is not at all difficult to dig up but you need to dig down a couple of inches just to where you bring a little earth with the moss. 

You also need a plant.  Virtually anything would be precious.  Vincas, petunias, portulaca.  This is the second time I have chosen this particular plant for my dump truck.  It is called Torenia or Wishbone Flower.  It can take some shade which is good for where I have it on our porch because it only gets morning sun.  This plant will bloom and bloom for the whole summer.  It just fills the back of that Tonka truck like no body's business! 

When it comes to watering your plant it will need to be done every day or two.  Just water it when you water everything else.  Depending on what kind of plant you use, it may require watering more often because of the size of the bed.  When you do water, the water will trickle down the bed and water the moss too before it drips out the end of the bed.  So cute.  OK here are the pics.  Holler if you have any questions.

 Dirty Shirty

 Just place the moss at the end... like so... to hold in the goods.

 Always use a layer of rock on the bottom for drainage. 

I chose smaller rock because of the lack of depth in the dump truck.

 I use a healthy mix of the good stuff and the cheap stuff when it comes to potting soil.

 Make a dent in the soil where your plant will live and tuck 'er in.

 Nuggets not only offer moisture retension, it makes it all purty.

This bag is under three dollars at Wal-Mart and it will last a long time!

 Awe!

 This gardener is holding a dump truck she seems very proud of!

 This pic is from two years ago when I got the purple flowers, but the same plant.  It really filled and spilled all around the dump truck and was very unique. 

Please pardon the Farm Bureau plug!